Secrets to Getting the Job On Time

(Time Management)

Make a to-do list (electronic or paper). Put the most important item

first and work down from there

At the end of your day, Review what you've

done and make a new list for the next day. In order of

importance

Learn to differentiate between the important and the urgent.

What's important is not always urgent. What's urgent is not always

important

Be ruthless about setting Priorities. Make sure that what

you think is important is really important

Carry your to-do list with you at all times

All things being equal do

the Hardest, least fun thing first. Just get it over

with!

If a task takes less than five minutes, do it right away. If it takes longer, put it on the list.

Deal with E-mail at set times each day, if possible. If you need to check messages as they arrive, limit your sessions to less than five minutes.

Schedule some uninterrupted time each day when you can concentrate on important tasks, even if you

have to take refuge in a conference room or at the

library.

Before you check your E-mail or voicemail or get involved in the minutiae of the day, devote a solid

hour to your most important project.

For a couple of days, take an inventory of how you spend your time to find out where and how

you're wasting it.

Eliminate the time wasters (e.g., if personal phone calls are taking up too much space in your

workday, turn off your cell).

Cut big jobs into small chunks. Order the chunks by importance. Work on one

chunk at a time

If part of your day involves routine repetitive tasks,

keep records of how long they take and then try to do

them faster.

For big, complex tasks, schedule

wiggle room. Projects tend to take

longer than you think/hope. Give yourself a buffer.

Establish smart efficient systems for all your tasks, big and small, and stick

to them.

Go one step further and set specific time limits for routine tasks. Work tends to fill

whatever amount of time you happen to have.

Value your time. People who

wander into your workspace to chat do not respect you or your schedule,

Set boundaries.

When and where you can, say no. Trying to do everything everyone

asks you to do is a recipe for failure.

Aim to handle pieces of paper only once.

Same for E-mails. Read them and deal with them.

In general, guard against over scheduling yourself.

Reward yourself for completing

tasks on time. No fun stuff until the

work stuff is done.

Organize your workspace

so you don't waste time looking for things.

Schedule demanding tasksfor that part of

your day when you're

at your peak.

Group related tasks (e.g., sort papers on your desk and then

file them). It's more efficient.

Use down time (e.g., waiting for meetings to begin) to, for example,

update your to-do list or answer E-mails.

Create the business environment that works for you. Adjust the lighting, turn off your E-mail pinger, get that cup of tea. Set the stage and

get to work.